The restaurant White Fence Farm in Lakewood Colorado offers veterens a free meal during the month of November in honor of Vetrens Day. My wife and I were there yesterday eving and I was wearing my Air Force cap. A gentleman came over to us who was also weraing a Air Force cap to see if we were aware of the free offer. I casualy asked him what Air Force command he was in and he said Headquaters Command. I gave my wife a look since I was also in that command. You have to relize that Headquaters Command back in the day did very classified work. I told him I was stationed in Boulder Wyoming and he took a step back and said to my disbelief he was also stationed there. Come to find out we both knew each other but I guess the years have taken a toll. There were only about 15 of us stationed there. He informed me that there is a West Coast alumni for members of the old command and he gave me all the info about. He said the airmen out at Buckly AFB east of Denver host us once a year and there are other functions as well. This has really got my jucies flowing and am looking forward to this.

Thanks for listening to an old Air Force Staff Sargent.

Art

Good story Art. I've only run into one guy from my ole unit from 'Nam in all these years. That was Terry Tucker, a leather worker out of Texas. A damn good one too. My unit was the 173rd Airborne Brig....we were called the "Herd". By the way Art....I live up near Evergreen (Marshdale closer). Like to run into you someday.

from my Army unit and he wasn't interested in renewing the friendship. Oh, there was another, but he wasn't interested either. Some folks want to put it behind them.

That is too bad. Still talk to one of my old Air Force buddys. He lives in Tulsa. We used to go to his home in Tulsa on weekends when we were both stationed at Shepard AFB in Texas. Make a fella feel good to talk about the old days

Art

Would like to do that some time. Sit and talk over a cup of coffee.

Art

There is a website called TOGETHER WE SERVED that helps get veterans back together.

What a great story,glad you shared it with us.

That is very cool!! My dad chanced into meeting someone he knew from Vietnam and found out they'd been having reunions for a few years. Hes been going to them for several years now and has renewed a lot of good old freindships.

Hope it works out well for you.

Several years back, say around 2000-2001 a good friend of mine's Grandfather was one of the original Darby Rangers. He had been a young depression era farmer in ND one of five Brothers. As one of the few survivors he was elected President of the reunion which they held every year. I asked my friend if it would be possible to attend one of the reunions. Said he would ask his Grandfather who lived about 30 miles from me. Grandfather said that would be fine, should have asked sooner cause I missed that years reunion by about 2 days. Before the next reunion my friend committed suicide. Nobody ever figured out why. He suffered from Cystic Fibrosis, wasn't supposed to see age 12, then 20, was 25 when he lost at Russian Roulette. Played several times we found out later, said it was the only adrenilen rush he could get, lived on borrowed time for most of his life. The year before he flew to Isreal to try and join the IDF...They would not take him. So much for reunions..FWIW dept

Great story, I found Facebook to be a great tooltofind old friends I hve served with all over the country. I got caught up with many guys over the last few years and its been great, however, I decided to close my page since I am a public school teacher now and its just too risky to have anything in public with todays tecj savvy kids.

At the last meeting I think there were 7 survivors. My friends Grandfather was captured twice and escaped both times. I think they did a documentary about 6-7 years ago on Darby's Rangers..

Bud, If you do not mine me asking what year were you over there in the 173rd. ?
Thanks

from Feb of '69 to Jan of 71. Based in Phu Cat, but helped out at all the firebases.

Thank you for your service sir.